Census tract · Kern County
Census Tract 55.09, Kern County, California
Census Tract 55.09, GEOID 06029005509, in Kern County, California, partly within China Lake Acres, Ridgecrest and Ridgecrest Heights. 4,737 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±898); the 2020 Census counted 4,150.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,737
±898 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,150
Median household income
$100,144
±$39,110 (90% margin)
Kern County: $70,210
Median home value
$318,900
±$52,335 (90% margin)
Kern County: $338,300
Median gross rent
$1,283
±$383 (90% margin)
Kern County: $1,300
Where is Census Tract 55.09?
Census Tract 55.09 is one of 236 census tracts in Kern County, California. It covers 46.54 square miles of land, 89 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 06029005509, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| China Lake Acres | 31% |
| Ridgecrest | 7% |
| Ridgecrest Heights | 3% |
9 census tracts border Census Tract 55.09: Tract 53 ($58,261), Tract 54.02 ($103,621), Tract 54.06 ($116,587), Tract 54.07 ($73,233), Tract 54.08 ($81,357), Tract 54.10 ($68,424), Tract 55.10 ($64,279), Tract 65 ($48,833) and Tract 89.01 in San Bernardino County ($65,600). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 55.09?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 55.09's population at 4,737 (±898) in 1,787 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,150 residents and 1,862 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 55.09 | Kern County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,737 ±898 | 915,075 |
| Households | 1,787 ±270 | 284,931 |
| Average household size | 2.65 ±0.31 | 3.12 |
| Housing units | 1,973 ±255 | 306,999 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 55.09?
The median resident of Census Tract 55.09 is 39.9 years old; 24.6% are under 18 and 18.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 67.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.2%. 5.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 55.09 | Kern County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 ±5.6 | 32.7 |
| Under 18 years | 24.6% ±7.2 pts | 28.6% |
| 65 years and over | 18.2% ±4.3 pts | 11.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.2% ±4.8 pts | 56.5% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 67.8% ±8.6 pts | 29.6% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±5.1 pts | 4.8% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±3.0 pts | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.8% ±5.1 pts | 3.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±2.6 pts | 0.6% |
| Born outside the United States | 5.0% ±2.9 pts | 20.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.7% ±5.4 pts | 45.7% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 18.5% ±5.8 pts | 4.9% |
| With a disability | 15.5% ±4.3 pts | 12.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.6% ±3.2 pts | 7.8% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.3% ±5.6 pts | 77.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.8% ±7.6 pts | 18.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.8% ±4.6 pts | 6.5% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.2% ±11.3 pts | 91.1% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 55.09 earn?
Half of the 1,787 households in Census Tract 55.09 earn less than $100,144 a year (±$39,110), against $70,210 across Kern County: 54th highest of the county's 225 tracts with a reliable estimate. 13.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 55.09 | Kern County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,144 ±$39,110 | $70,210 |
| Mean household income | $137,019 ±$39,657 | $93,147 |
| Per capita income | $52,211 ±$16,102 | $29,699 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.2% ±7.6 pts | 19.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.4% ±11.6 pts | 25.6% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.7% ±5.3 pts | 20.2% |
| Households with a computer | 96.9% ±4.3 pts | 95.2% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.0% ±5.7 pts | 91.6% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 55.09?
Owners occupy 79.4% of Census Tract 55.09's occupied homes and renters 20.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $318,900 by its owner (±$52,335). The median renter pays $1,283 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 55.09 | Kern County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $318,900 ±$52,335 | $338,300 |
| Median gross rent | $1,283 ±$383 | $1,300 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.5% ±42.2 pts | 48.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,127 ±$315 | $1,968 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.4% ±9.2 pts | 60.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.6% ±9.2 pts | 39.9% |
| Housing units | 1,973 ±255 | 306,999 |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.0% ±7.5 pts | 72.4% |
| Mobile homes | 34.6% ±7.5 pts | 7.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 1.3% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.7% ±3.7 pts | 8.9% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.9% ±4.0 pts | 4.1% |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.3% ±3.4 pts | 6.7% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 55.09 get to work?
76.8% of Census Tract 55.09's workers drive alone and 14.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 55.09 | Kern County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.2% ±7.5 pts | 58.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% ±3.9 pts | 8.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 76.8% ±7.8 pts | 78.4% |
| Carpooled | 7.4% ±3.8 pts | 11.4% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.4% |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% |
| Worked from home | 14.1% ±8.1 pts | 7.5% |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.8 min ±7.3 | 24.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 55.09 compare with the other tracts in Kern County?
Among Kern County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 55.09 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Kern County |
|---|---|
| Population | 50th of 236 |
| Residents per square mile | 208th of 236 |
| Median household income | 54th of 225 |
| Per capita income | 16th of 236 |
| Median home value | 96th of 225 |
| Median gross rent | 120th of 219 |
| Poverty rate | 138th of 170 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55th of 181 |
| Median age | 35th of 235 |
| Owner-occupied share | 53rd of 228 |
The tracts next to it on Kern County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 46.05 | 51st | $100,881±$9,844 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 38.08 | 52nd | $100,683±$17,292 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9.09 | 53rd | $100,391±$27,285 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 55.09 | 54th | $100,144±$39,110 |
| Tract 10.01 | 55th | $99,811±$13,734 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 18.04 | 56th | $99,348±$9,108 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9.14 | 57th | $99,116±$11,833 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 55.09?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 55.09 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections